Atticus Finch's Parenting Style

Atticus Finch and His Parenting Style “To Kill a Mockingbird”, an acclaimed novel by Harper Lee, is recognized throughout the world. The novel follows a lawyer and his children prior to and during a legal case to defend a black male. That lawyers name is Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch is not just an ordinary father. He teaches his children things no parent of the 1930s, or even the modern time period, would think of doing. His style parenting, compared to modern day parenting and parenting in the 1930s, is unique and is not traditionally the way a parent wants to raise their child. The parenting styles of the 1930’s are very different then the style’s now, especially that of Atticus Finch, who raises his children in a very distinct and thought out way. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from their point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” This quote, spoken by Atticus, is explaining to Scout why she must return to school and not be so hard on Miss Caroline for the honest mistakes she made that first day of class. Like so many passages in the book, this one represents the worldview and attitude that Atticus approaches his daily and professional life with. He attests that it is necessary to consider how others exist in this community in order to understand why they do the things they do. In this sense, we see Scout’s reaction to Miss Caroline, a relative newcomer to their community, and Atticus’s response is to remind her to see the other person’s side of things, even when that person may be ignorant of the unspoken social codes of their community, some of which Scout is just beginning to learn. He is trying to help Scout understand that she must accept and be tolerant of those around her who are different than herself. Unlike Atticus, most modern day parents would begin to approach the situation nonchalantly and brush it off (World Book Online- 1930’s Parents). They would not have given the situation

Cited: “Family and consumer sciences.” World Book Online Reference Center. World Book, 2013. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. Lee, Harper. To Kill A Mockingbird. New York: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1960. Print. “Parents of the 1930’s”. World Book Online Reference Center. World Book, 2013. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.